Without Love
by Bay Alexison
Summary: Mephilia goes on a year long sea voyage with Suleiman so she can get the summons. During their journey, she falls in love with him. Years later, Mephilia travels with him once more, this time when he's a ghost. (Story in two parts)
1. Chapter 1

**Author's Notes:** 1) There are mentions of two summons, Charybdis and Amaterasu. They're not in BD but are new summons in the sequel Bravely Second, which is already out in Japan and localized version will come out sometime next year. The names I got from a GameFaq walkthrough of the Japanese version of Bravely Second. The location of the summons themselves changed in the two games, hm.

2)This was written for LJ community _31_days_ for two prompts. Story ended up being longer than expected, so I broke it down in two parts. Part 2 is still in the beta process, but it shouldn't be too long until I get to post it!

 _Edit 10/20/2015-_ After rereading the story, I noticed I made a few typos and one timeline mistake after overlooking a passage in _The Sisters' Tale._ After Mephilia and Suleiman's voyage, supposed to be a year has passed before Mephilia goes to Florem, not two. Fixed those mistakes now, though!

Part 1 prompt: "What would humans be without love?" - Terry Pratchett's Sorcery

 **PART ONE**

The airship's captain needed to make a pitstop to gather some supplies, so Mephilia was stuck in a small port town, Nelma, for two days. Tonight she was eating in one of the restaurants. She supposed the sausage, mash potatoes, and gravy wasn't too bad for the most part. The smell of alcohol and smoke, however, she was less in favor of. As she wrinkled her nose in disgust, Mephilia instead tried to focus on the many conversations taking place inside. Hearing them made her wonder if those other people had long journeys to their home, too.

She was still annoyed Conjurer Yulyana wouldn't give her the rest of the summons. What was worse, he didn't left any clues as to where to find them. Getting Girtablulu wasn't an easy feat by any means, but it would take some months to find them even by airship. Some Conjurer he was.

"Is this seat taken?"

Her thoughts interrupted, Mephilia turned around to see a man grinning at her. His long hair was tied in a braided ponytail and he wore clothing with some tears in them. She couldn't stop looking at his brown eyes and strong jaw. Usually she would decline that kind of offer, but there was something about this man that was alluring to her.

"No, it isn't," she said, forming a small smile. "I don't mind."

The man gladly took a seat next to Mephilia and extended his hand to her. "I'm Suleiman."

"Mephilia." She shook his hand back. He asked if it was all right he bought a drink for her and she said that was fine. A minute later, the waitress brought them two glasses of cranberry juice.

"So what brings you here to this port?" Suleiman asked.

"I actually came here from an airship, which made a short pitstop. Recently traveled from home to do an important test." Mephilia sipped some of her drink, which tasted strong but sweet.

"Oh, what kind of test?" After she told him about how the professors had sent her to Yulyana Woods to do the summons test and she passed, Suleiman chuckled. "So you're a summoner, huh? I think that's very neat."

Feeling her cheeks flushed, Mephilia said, "Thank you." She twirled her finger around the rim of her glass. "How about you?"

"Me? I'm a pirate!" Suleiman responded, flashing her a proud smile. "I sail around the world, and I have experienced a lot there is to see."

That piqued her interest. She actually recalled someone else referring himself to that, too, but couldn't remember his name. Maybe he and Suleiman knew one another.

Suleiman's stories on some of his travels were the most fascinating adventures Mephilia ever heard. The two continued conversing with one another for another two hours until it was almost time for the restaurant to close. She had a good time chatting with him, and they agreed to meet in the same restaurant for lunch the next day.

This was only the second time they talked, but she already felt comfortable being with him. She was glad Suleiman wanted to know more what it was like for her being a summoner, and showed that he was interested in her. Eventually one of his questions threw her off guard.

"You know, I've been thinking. You said you need to find the other summons, correct?" he asked after finishing a piece of his fish.

"I have, yes."

"How about you come with me and I'll help you find them!"

Mephilia sipped her cranberry juice when she heard that, causing her to spit. She wiped her mouth with a napkin and made an embarrassed laugh.

"It's a very sweet offer of yours, but we only just met last night. Besides, I can have an airship provided for me."

"I understand not wanting to go with a stranger, but I think you'll have much more fun going with me. I can take you to more towns and cities you never visited before. Also, I want to get know you more."

As Mephilia finished up her drink, she pondered over what he said. A grand adventure? That did sound tempting. And she liked Suleiman enough to want to talk with him more. If she head back to Eternia, there was a good chance she would never see him again. One problem was everyone in Eternia, including her sisters, would wonder why she went missing. She could easily excuse someone had been helping her getting the other summons, though. Having made her decision, she said to him she'll do it.

The next morning, Mephilia took off with Suleiman in his ship the Funky Francisca, not letting the captain of the airship know of her change in plans.

xxx

The first summon they went to find was Ziusudra's Sin, who was inside Mount Fragmentum's cave. The murky scent and cold air caused Mephilia nose to twitch and her skin to crawl.

"I can't believe that lech wants me to find summons in places like this!"

"You mean that Yulyana person?" He made a dismissive hand gesture. "I'm sure he has a good reason for you to go hunting for them."

Mephilia didn't agree, but couldn't think of a better counter-argument. She would continue to complain how awful of a person he was.

"He told me an anchorite is the one to offer them to me." When Suleiman asked who those were, she explained each one controls a different summon and if she was able to pass their tests, she gains their summon.

"Sounds pretty hard," he said. "I'm sure you'll do great, though."

Mephilia responded by smiling at him in gratitude. His encouraging words was what she needed right now.

It was another hour or so until they spotted someone else in the cave. Mephilia's eyes grew wide as she didn't expect the anchorite to look like an oversized owl.

"Well met, brave souls! You bear the…" The anchorite's expression changed, as if something disturbing. "Wait, I only sense one of you having a summon."

"That's me," Mephilia said, stepping forward. "My friend, Suleiman, is occupying me on this journey."

"I-I see," the anchorite said, nodding his head. He mentioned that he carried Ziusudra's Sin and asked her if she was ready to face the summon.

Mephilia already knew she needed to survive a summon's attack in order to gain their powers, having done that with Conjurer Yulyana already in order to get Girtablulu. Nonetheless, her hands began to shake; there was a possibility she wouldn't make it out alive. She turned around to face Suleiman, who gave her a thumbs up. If he had faith in her, then she would too.

"I'm more than ready," she said to the anchorite, smirking.

"R-really…? Um, alright. Gosh. Then, uhh..show me you've the strength to stand firm." He turned his head to glance at Suleiman. "As for your friend here, he should step away at a good distance while this is happening."

Suleiman did as he was told, moving to a far distance away from Mephilia and the anchorite. Mephilia prepared herself and waited until the anchorite raised his staff to release the summon, a woman that made a haunting howl. Particles of ice formed around her and she launched large icicles at Mephilia. The ice slashed through her skin and she felt blood flowing, Mephilia gritting her teeth to force herself not to scream. A few more seconds passed until the attack was over, and she dropped on the ground.

"Mephilia, are you okay?" Suleiman asked after he ran to her side and picked her up.

Giving him a weak smile, Mephilia said, "I got Ziusudra's Sin."

"Sp-sp-splendid!" the anchorite said. "Now that you got Ziusudra's Sin, I'll have to ask the both of you to shoo away."

Suleiman offered her some potions so she could regain some energy back and he had her arms around his shoulder while she raised her rod so the both of them could be teleported outside.

That night, they had set up camp and a fire outside some distance from the cave. Mephilia rested in a sleeping bag and was reading a book, fully immersed into the story, until she felt a tap on the shoulder. Suleiman greeted her with a sweet smile and a cup.

"Thought you might like some hot chocolate," he said as he went closer to her and handed her the cup. Mephilia drank a sip and smiled at him.

"I really appreciate it, thanks."

Suleiman sat next to her, one hand resting on her knee. "I'm glad you made it alive out there. You're one tough lady."

Mephilia couldn't help but chuckle. "Goes to show I'm not to be underestimated." A frown then settled on her lips. She did risk her life out there, and she would need to face more summons that way. Imagining Suleiman mourning her death pained her heart. "I'm sorry if I made you worry."

A concerned look crossed Suleiman's face. "I was worried, yes. I know how important the summons are to you, though."

"The other summons won't be any easier." She dropped her head, her mouth forming a sad smile. "Since I've been told countless times how I was a prodigy, I let that get over my head."

"Well, that's what I like about you, anyways." He leaned in to kiss her forehead, and Mephilia flinched. This was the first time his lips touched her skin, which was strangely comforting. "You're fine now, and that's all that matters. Good night, Mephilia."

Once Suleiman went to his sleeping bag to rest, she shook her head in amusement. No one else had said that as a compliment to her. Mephilia finished drinking her hot chocolate, resting the cup on the ground, before she went to sleep herself.

xxx

Being a pirate, Suleiman would of course have a ship crew. While the two were in Mount Fragmentum, Suleiman's crew had watched over the ship and gone to the nearest town to prepare supplies.

Mephilia had always joined them in various conversations, and like Suleiman they were fun to talk with. Julius was a good cook and he made some of the best meals Mephilia had ever tasted in a long while. Aaren came from a rich family in Caldesia, but he was bored of the lifestyle and wanted to see the world. Shelby was the youngest crew member, having only just joined the others a few months ago. She was glad they were very accepting of her.

"So Mephilia, what made you decide to become a summoner?" Shelby asked one evening during dinner. Everyone but Suleiman, who was taking control of the ship at the moment, gathered around the table in the dining room to eat lobster and biscuits.

'"I got interested in summons as a little girl because the concept fascinated me." Mephilia chewed a piece of the biscuit before continuing. "I started practicing summoning smaller creatures, like rabbits and birds, before trying the harder ones."

"I bet even making a rabbit appear isn't an easy task," Julius said after he drank a mug of his beer.

"I admit it was hard at first, but I was able to pick it up quickly."

"Are there any other abilities a summoner has besides that?" Aaren asked.

Mephilia hesitated at first, certain her response would raise some questions. "I've been told I have a sixth sense. Basically I can see things other people can't." While in Yulyana Woods, she had told this to Yulyana and he said summoners indeed could sense some things a normal person wouldn't be able to.

That piqued Julius's interest. "Oh, like what?"

Again Mephilia held herself from responding immediately, wondering if she should stop there. Nonetheless, she answered, "I can feel the presence of other worlds similar to ours."

"Other worlds?" Shelby asked, his eyes blinking. "As in,different versions of Luxendarc?" Mephilia responded by saying he was correct.

Aaren ate a piece of his food and snorted. "Even though I've seen my fair share of sorcery throughout my travels, I'm not sure if that's possible. How are you able to know that?"

Mephilia stared at him. "I can't say, but I'm sure there are other worlds!"

"What's going on?' Suleiman asked when he entered the dining room, a flabbergasted expression spreading across his face.

"Mephilia mentions about being other worlds out there, but Aaren doesn't believe her," Shelby said. "Personally, I think it makes sense as she's a summoner, after all." Behind him, Julius nodded.

"Unless she has definite proof there is more than one Luxendarc," Aaren said, "I can't fully say I support her claim!"

Gritting her teeth, Mephilia admitted to herself that Aaren was right—she didn't have proof how she knew there were other worlds except that it was just part of her summoning abilities. That itself wouldn't be a convincing explanation as she wasn't sure _how to show_ there were indeed parallel worlds.

"You're the one that asked if I have other abilities besides summons!" she said, pointing her finger at him.

"All right, that's enough," Suleiman said in a sharp tone. "Aaren, it's your turn to steer the ship." Aaren grunted in slight annoyance and rose from his seat. A loud sigh escaped from Mephilia, causing him to chuckle. "Don't worry about him. He's usually more open-minded than this."

"Suleiman's right," Julius said. "Not sure why he behaved like that just now."

Mephilia remained silent, having mixed feelings over what just happened.

A little after dinner was done, she retired to her room. There wasn't much inside, just a bed, oil lamp, and drawer for her clothes. She was used to living much more comfortably in her home in Eternia, but at this point she was fine living like this. Mephilia stared at the ceiling for a while until she heard someone knocked on the door. After she shouted "come in!", the door opened and Suleiman was in front of her.

'Feeling better now?" Suleiman asked.

"I'm calmer than I was a few moments ago," she said, smiling a little.

Suleiman nodded and joined Mephilia on the edge of the bed. "I thought tonight was strange as you two get along fine most of the time."

Eyes falling on her lap, Mephilia was still bothered over what had occurred between her and Aaren earlier. She struggled having this sixth sense of hers for a while, now. It was expected she would get at least one unfavorable reaction, but it hurt her more than she anticipated.

'Ever since I found out I can do summons at a young age, I often wonder if another version of me is living differently. Maybe in one world, she didn't go on this sea voyage."

As the silence lingered, Suleiman squeezed her hand, his thumb circling around her knuckles. Mephilia's heart quickened-he gave her kisses on the forehead and touched her hand a few times before, but each time he did those little gestures she felt a spark emitted inside her. He fixed his gaze at her.

"If there are indeed more than one world as you claimed, I'm content where we are now."

"As do I," she said, smiling back as his words made her relax. Mephilia leaned in to kiss Suleiman's cheek. Even if she could be able to drop by a different Luxendarc, she wouldn't trade it for this one.

xxx

She and Suleiman were able to find the location of the next summon, Hresvelgr, to be in the Wind Temple. Mephilia had convinced one of the acolytes to take her to the anchorite of wind, who was staying in one of the larger rooms. Like before, she had to brace herself against the wind summon's attack and did just that, but not without sustaining several deep cuts through her skin. Due to the impact of the assault, she kneeled down on one knee and her body shook. The acolyte that had led them to the anchorite took everyone to another room and was able to heal most of Mephilia's wounds with ease. She and the other acolytes let her and Suleiman stay in the temple for the night to rest.

The two eventually returned to Anchiem, staying there for a few days so Suleiman and his men could get some supplies. On their last night in the city, they treated themselves to a bowl of ice cream as it was very humid even in the evenings. While eating another spoonful of her dessert, Mephilia glanced at some of the buildings powered by windmills and clockwork. She was amazed how well the city progressed itself, technology-wise.

"I wonder, what happens after you have all of the summons?" he asked once they finished their ice cream.

"The next step is most likely to teach myself how to do invocation. From what Conjurer Yulyana told me, I use the same summons but they can benefit me instead of assaulting a target."

Suleiman raised an eyebrow. "Benefit you, as in giving you more strength for instance?"

"I suppose you can say that." She shrugged. "He didn't make any sense, as always."

"I see." Grinning, he then said, "After you achieved that, perhaps you can teach some people how to do summons!"

"I'll consider that," she said and chuckled. Mephilia actually had thought about being a professor if she wasn't tied to the duchy. Maybe she could still do that soon.

A short silence followed until Suleiman spoke. "Almost three months have passed since we set out together." His grin grew wider. "You joining me made this sea voyage more thrilling!"

Smiling, Mephilia said, "I don't regret coming to this trip with you." She couldn't remember the last time she had this fun.

"I also like to think we grew closer together, too. I really like...no, I'm certain I'm falling for you."

Mephilia's eyes widened in surprise. "Suleiman, I…" Speechless, she knew for certain he wanted them to be in a romantic relationship. This was the first time someone confessed their feelings to her.

"If you're not comfortable with us being more than just friends, then I won't force you." He covered Mephilia's hand with his. "No matter what, though, I'll still care about you."

There was no denying she had some feelings toward him. He had been very supporting on her journey in getting the summons and easy to talk with. His smiles also always made her heart flutter. Yes, she could see herself being more than friends with him.

"I'm sure we can make this work," she said and captured his lips for a deep kiss, tasting the ice cream still on his mouth. Her fingers slid across Suleiman's hair as he looped his arms around her and drew her closer to him. She had imagined her first kiss being a little less awkward, their teeth and noses sometimes bumping together, but Mephilia didn't mind as she felt safer with Suleiman than ever before. Not far from them, someone let out a wild whistle.

"It's about time you guys finally got together!"

Immediately Mephilia recognized Aaren's voice. She and Suleiman separated, her face turning slightly red as she covered her cheek. When she stole a glance at Suleiman, he rubbed the back of his head and looked as if someone accidentally caught him taking a bath. Behind Aaren, Julius and Shelby snickered.

"Indeed it's obvious you two are into each other," Julius said, grinning. "Nothing to be embarrassed about!"

More calm now, Mephilia's shoulders and face relaxed. It was a good thing the crew was in support of their relationship instead of one of them being jealous and she got herself involved in a love triangle.

"I'm certain this next step of ours will make us very happy," Suleiman said as they rose from the bench they had sat on. Their foreheads touched and the couple smirked at one another. Them being together like this felt right to Mephilia.

xxx

The past few months had been the best ones ever for Mephilia. She visited several places she had never been before and experienced different cultures firsthand, whether it be food, an event going on, or hearing another language. And true to his word, he helped her find three summons, Ziusudra's Sin, Hresvelgr, and Charybdis.

After they had confessed their love to each other back in Anchiem, their romance escalated. She had found out he was almost nine years older than her, but she didn't care about that. His kisses were always urgent and passionate, as if he was afraid to let her go.

One night, the two relaxed in each other's arms on Suleiman's bed. As Mephilia rested her head on her beloved's chest, she could hear his steady heartbeat.

"We should get to Eisenberg tomorrow," Suleiman said in a low voice. "Once we land and go to the fire temple, you'll get your next summon in no time."

"This is more than I can ever ask for." She scooted herself up a little to kiss him on the lips and flung her arms around his neck.

"After Promethean Fire, how many more summons are there to find?"

"Three. Deux Ex and Amaterasu shouldn't be too hard to find. Susano-o, however, I'm not sure where that summon is."

"If Susano-o's the biggest challenge, I'll find him for you," he said, sliding a finger onto her hair.

Mephilia quirked an eyebrow at him. "You mean finding the summon by yourself?"

"If you're worried about me getting hurt, you don't need to be. I've been through these waters for a while-"

"And I'm a capable summoner," she said, an edge in her voice. She rolled off from Suleiman's body and sat on the edge of the bed, facing away from him.

Silence fell between them. She heard the bed squeaked and felt Suleiman's arms wrapped around her waist. His lips touched her shoulder, causing Mephilia's stomach to jump.

"I'm not denying you're a talented summoner. We don't have any clues on the summon's whereabouts, so I don't want you to feel it'll be a waste of time. Besides, hasn't it been awhile since you came home? While I try to find Susano-o, you get the others."

Dropping her eyes on the wooden floor, Mephilia considered his words a moment. He did have a point that she would grow tired of trying to search Susano-o. His mention of not being home in a long time reminded her also she was needed in the duchy and her sisters most likely were worried sick about her. It wouldn't be good for her reputation if she delay her duties any longer, although she probably already tarnished it by staying with Suleiman all this time.

"Okay, I trust you." Smiling, she first kissed his palm before they locked lips. A part of her still worried for his safety, but she had faith because she loved him.

What would humans be without love?

xxx

It was another few weeks until they made it to Eternia. Mephilia had introduced Suleiman to Einheria, but in the end she was able to scare him off with her spear. What was worse was Artemia had been missing for a year and Mephilia had argued with Einheria over that. After that was done, she went off to meet with Suleiman.

She had found him in a restaurant called The Frosti Lodge and spotted the man sitting by himself in one of the tables. When he saw her, he grinned and gestured his hand for her to join him.

"Where is Julius and Aaren?" Mephilia asked as she glanced around to see only Shelby inside, who was talking with a lady at a bar not far from them. From the way his cheeks flushed, he seemed to be enjoying her company.

"They wanted to visit some bars, and Shelby and I politely declined. I take it you patched things up with your sister?"

"I wouldn't exactly say that. Artemia's fine at least, so that's all I care about."

"That's the most important thing, yes." He paused to drink his beer. "However, I'll say Einheria is pretty terrifying!"

Mephilia snorted. "You have no idea." Her amused expression then changed as she said, "My sister can be overprotective at times, but I can't blame her as she had to watch over Artemia and I after both of our parents died." A short silence between them followed. Her sister could be scary with a spear, and they had their disagreements like today, but she still respected and loved her with all her heart. She cared a lot about Artemia, too.

"After I return getting Susano-o for you," Suleiman said, and that brought back her attention, "I want to ask your sister's blessing for us to marry. Hopefully that'll convince her we're perfect for each other."

Upon hearing that, Mephilia's throat twisted and her face flushed. "Is this a proposal?"

Suleiman chuckled and rubbed the back of his head. "Well, if you want to call it that, then yes it is."

Mephilia's smile grew wider. She admitted to expecting a more romantic setting for a marriage proposal, not in a noisy restaurant shortly after a long argument with her older sister. But that didn't matter. And thus, she accepted his proposal and cupped his cheeks, kissing him hard.

Some days after, she and Suleiman teleported at the port before he and his men were to leave to find Susano-o. Before that, she had helped them get some supplies in preparation for that. She first said goodbye to Suleiman's crew and embraced them one by one and wished them luck on their journey.

"Don't worry about us, Mephilia, we'll be fine!" Shelby said, beaming.

"Yeah, we're Suleiman's crew, we can handle anything!" Aaren said as he bumped his fist onto his chest.

"Promise us you'll watch over yourself, too," Julius said, his expression similar to Shelby's.

After Mephilia responded to Julius that she would, the three men immediately headed to the ship. She and Suleiman were now alone.

"This is the summoner asterisk," Mephilia said, handing him a necklace with a gem that had a star symbol inside. "As long as you have this, Susano-o's anchorite will accept you."

"I'll be sure to keep this safe." Suleiman put the asterisk around his neck. "You'll wait for me, right?" he asked as he rubbed her hand.

"Of course." She pressed her lips against his for a quick kiss.

"The next time you see me I'll have that summon for you and we'll have the grandest wedding Luxendarc has ever seen!"

They shared another kiss and gazed each other for a minute, Mephilia's heart racing more by the second. At that instant, she considered leaving Eternia, telling Suleiman to take her with him, but kept her mouth closed. He let go of her hand to board on the ship and set sail. Mephilia kept waving at The Funky Francisca until she wasn't able to see it from a far distance anymore and stayed outside a while longer until she felt it was time for her to get back home.

Later that night, Mephilia dreamed she and Suleiman started a family and traveled around the world in his ship. Their daughter often excitedly point out a fish or bird as they watched the ocean with her and everyone laughed together. She hoped that to be a reality soon.

xxx

Almost a year had passed since Suleiman's departure. She hadn't received any letters from him due to him traveling in the waters, so writing back to him would be futile. Every night she kept wondering how he and the others were doing and prayed that they were safe.

During his absence, she had been busy practicing her summons. Each one she had gained was tougher than the other, so she wanted to prepare before going against the other two summons. Amaterasu she was able to find thanks to the captain of the airship helping her get it, although it took them around a month to accomplish that. Deux Ex, even though closest to Eternia, she saved for later because it was supposed to be the toughest summon in strength, behind Susano-o.

When she was informed she would be going to Florem with her sisters soon, Mephilia immediately took off to get Deux Ex. Everlast Tower, formerly the Earth Temple, was a vast building several stories high. She kept coming across various monsters, but they were no match for her summons. As she moved further into the temple, there were many documents scattered and Mephilia read them thinking they might have some information on the summons. Instead they were accounts of the events leading to the earth vestal's demise, which Einheria had told her about before.

Eventually she made it to the floor where the anchorite of bolts resided. Like the few other anchorites she had met, he released the summon, which was a large clockwork spider. Mephilia quickly defended herself before Deux Ex let out a burst of electricity at her. She yelled in pain, her body shaking, but she continued to hold on. Once that was done, Mephilia tried to catch her breath-it was lucky one of the Summoner asterisk's abilities was softening electric blows like this one. She now had Deux Ex.

"Did you see that, Sueliman dear?" she said excitedly as she swung around, only to see that he wasn't with her this time. Her large smile faded immediately.

"Excuse me, but who is this Sueliman?" the anchorite asked, titling his head in confusion.

"He used to help me get my other summons and...you know what, never mind." Got what she wanted, Mephilia teleported herself out of the temple.

A short while later, Mephilia was atop the balcony of her house, watching over the sunset. Once again, she wondered how Suleiman was doing out there. She had no doubt he would be proud of her getting the latest summon.

"Did your encounter with Deux Ex go well?" someone suddenly said behind her. Mephilia turned around to see Einheria.

"Oh, um, yes, it went well and I got that summon,"Mephilia said while she rubbed her arm, her voice shaking. Einheria gave her a funny look.

"I thought you would be very proud of that. Are you upset about Suleiman again?"

Mephilia lightly bit her lip. It wasn't a surprise to her she would figure that out, but she knew how much Einheria didn't like him even though she only met him for one day. This was why she rarely talked to her about him.

"You don't understand how I feel about him." When she glanced at her sister, Einheria shot her a stern expression.

"You're right that I'll never understand what you see in that man. However, we'll be leaving for Florem in three weeks. If he returns, will he know you're not here anymore?"

Mephilia opened her mouth to protest, but stopped herself. She was excited to go to Florem with her sisters, but didn't think Suleiman's journey would take this long. There was no way to let him know of her upcoming departure.

"So you're saying I should just give up on him." She wanted to scream to Einheria, but she didn't felt like starting an argument with her at this moment.

"Unless you're certain he'll visit Florem, I think that's for the best. I'll see you around dinnertime."

After her sister left, Mephilia stared back at the sunset sky. She noticed some stars began to appear and a glimpse of the moon. Back when she traveled with Suleiman, they often watched the sunset together, their arms interlinked together. If she were with him today, they would do that now.

"I hope you're watching the sunset, too, my dear," she whispered with her shoulders slumped and a heavy heart.


	2. Chapter 2

**Author's Notes:**

1) I did another Bravely Second reference in this part also. There's one subplot in which Barbarossa sings with zombies (yes, that really happened), hence why I got the idea of him bringing zombies.

2) And here's part 2! Originally I was going to have the story finished in part 1, but then I got the idea of Mephilia interacting with Suleiman's ghost and went with that. Thanks so much to my good friend bobandbill for betaing this story!

Part 2 prompt: "He looked kinder than she had ever seen him before" -Maggie Stiefvater's The Raven Boys

 **PART TWO**

 _Ha ha ha, I'm actually dying._

In one world, the news of Suleiman's death struck Mephilia hard. She didn't believe it at first, convinced he wouldn't let anything get in his way. Eventually she forced herself to face the truth and her mind suddenly cracked.

He promised to return back with Susano-o, but broke it. Such a tragedy, if she was honest with herself.

 _Those fools deserved to be drenched in my blood._

As she continued her assignment in Florem dealing with the Florie, Mephilia could tell her sanity was on a downward spiral but didn't care. Plucking those fairies' wings and the sight of women and girls fighting over hairpins delighted her. No matter what, everyone was obsessed with beauty.

One day she was confronted by Edea and her friends. After they mortally wounded her, Mephilia shuddered her last few breaths as she stared at the sky, her eyes starting to lose focus, and-

 _Not long now until I join you, Suleiman my dear. Ha ha ha..._

xxx

In another world, Einheria and Captain Barbarossa told Mephilia about Suleiman's death. Barbarossa handed her his logs and the summoner asterisk she had given to Suleiman for his trip. His final words in his journal, the pages crisped and wrinkled around the edges, were that Susano-o was further into the Sea of Corsairs. She felt a twisted knot in her throat.

"Are...are you sure?" Mephilia asked, her hands shaking as she held Suleiman's journal in her hands.

"I'm truly sorry, miss," Barbarossa said, his face frowning. "I do plan to find Susano-o myself so Suleiman's search won't go to waste."

Mephilia hung her head down. She could tell Suleiman's death was hard on his friend just as it was for her. It was sweet of Barbarossa to do that for him, but it didn't make up the fact that Sulieman's journey took his life in the first place.

"If I had gone with him, none of this would have happened."

"You can also catch the same illness as him," Einheria said bluntly and then her face softened. "However, none of this is your fault."

"Your sis's right, no need to put the blame on yourself. He wanted to do this because he loved you."

Hearing him said that caused Mephilia to break down in tears. Devastated, she rushed upstairs and locked herself in her room.

She wanted to be left alone for a while. Whenever it was time to eat, either Einheria or Artemia set the plate down next to her door and Mephilia often refused, although she ate a couple times when her stomach grew desperate. She didn't have the energy to get herself to shower or brush her teeth, spending most of her time lying in bed.

He fell ill during his sea voyage, and so had his crew. Her mind kept asking why she didn't just go with him like she wanted to when they said their goodbyes at Eternia's port. If she went with him perhaps he would have still lived. Or maybe her sister and Barbarossa were right in that there was no reason to blame herself. Either way, she was the one that allowed him to find the last summon for her.

On the third day of locking herself in her room, Mephilia sat on her bed and covered herself in a thin blanket. She stayed still until she heard a knock on the door and her older sister's voice.

"This is Einheria. I have Captain Barbarossa with me and we're wondering if we can have a moment to speak with you."

Barbarossa? Hadn't he left already on his journey? There must be a good reason for him to still be here. Mephilia also wondered how her sisters were doing and she did feel sorry for distancing herself from them even though she needed some time to grief. She forced herself to jump out of her bed and went to open the door. Both Einheria and Barbarossa stepped inside, the pirate sitting on the bed while her sister grabbed a chair.

"I thought you already left to go search for Susano-o," Mephilia said, her voice hoarse, as she joined Barbarossa on the bed. He chuckled.

"He was, but then he wanted to discuss with me something important," Einheria said.

"And that would be…?"

"I want you to come with me on my adventure!" Barbarossa said, flashing her a grin.

Mephilia's eyes grew wide and her stomach jumped. "Are you serious?" When he responded with a nod, she swung her head to face Einheria. "And you're okay with it?"

Her older sister gave her a small smile. "I'm aware this seems strange as I never thought kindly of Suleiman, but Barbarossa convinced me you going with him will benefit you more than if you still stay here in Florem."

"How about my mission here?" Granted she never like DeRosa, their captain for the Bloodrose Legion, but Einheria had swayed her that the assignment would benefit Eternia, and besides Suleiman, she trusted her sister more than anymore else

"I'll let Captain DeRosa know you'll be leaving for a while to get your very last summon. I actually heard in a few weeks he'll be leaving Florem for some important business himself."

"So what you say, Mephilia? Want to help me get Susano-o for Suleiman's sake?"

As she considered the man's offer a moment, Mephilia thought perhaps it would be better if she go on this trip as she felt herself fleeting away the more she stayed in Florem. Suleiman would also prefer if she move forward instead of grieving forever. She smiled for the first time since hearing her beloved's death.

"When do we make our departure?"

xxx

Once Mephilia finished packing up her things, she boarded the Funky Francisca with Barbarossa. Because this would be a long voyage, Barbarossa took with him a few zombies as crew since his naval division had their hands tied with the war still going on in the Eisenberg region. When she stepped on the ship, memories of her time with Suleiman and his crew overwhelmed her; it was upsetting they weren't in this world anymore. Nonetheless, she told herself she would stay strong for them and see this through to the end.

On the first night of their journey, Barbarossa requested Mephilia to join him alone from the others. She followed him until they stopped in the middle of the deck.

"Suleiman, are you still around?" Barbarossa shouted.

At first Mephilia blinked, unsure what he was trying to do. A few seconds passed by until Suleiman appeared in front of them, his body lit up like a flame. A welcome expression spread across the ghost's face.

"Hayreddin, it's nice to see you once more!"

"Great to see you too, ol' friend! I called you here to show you who else will be helping me with getting Susano-o for you."

Mephilia gulped when Suleiman gazed in her direction. Seeing him like this both excited and saddened her. It had been a few years the last time they spoke and she wasn't sure how to respond.

"Mephilia," he said, offering her a gentle smile.

"I can't believe I'm seeing you again after all these years."

Suleiman chuckled and said, "I apologize that I haven't fulfilled my promise to you. I didn't think my journey would take me this long, nor would I become very ill in the process."

"I forgive you. And you're too humble for your own good," she said and allowed herself to smile a little. That made Suleiman laugh and to admit perhaps he was. For some reason, he looked kinder than she had ever seen him. She then faced Barbarossa and asked him, "How did you find this ship and Suleiman in the first place?"

"I was making my way back to Eisenberg and then I spotted the Funky Francisca abandoned in the middle of the sea," Barbarossa explained. "Upon entering the ship, Suleiman's ghost appeared!"

"I told him what had happened and that I left some logs in my room," Suleiman said. "After we talked for a while, Hayreddin said he'll let you know of my passing and go find Susano-o for me."

"Since Mephilia's here, perhaps you two lovebirds can catch up!" Barbarossa suggested and laughed.

"I actually would like that," Mephlia said and her smile returned. She looked forward to speak with Suleiman once more.

xxx

During their journey, Mephilia got to know Barbarossa better and they quickly became good friends. She told him several moments of when she and Suleiman were together and the different summons they had encountered. In return, Barbarossa mentioned some stories of when he and Suleiman had hung out a lot until he was assigned to the Black Blades. From the way he fondly talked about him, she could tell they had a strong friendship.

One afternoon as the pirate steered the ship, he made a quick glance to see Mephilia staring at the ocean with a distant look on her face.

"Something the matter, Mephilia?"

Facing him, she said, "You're already aware about my sixth sense, right?"

"Aye, I do," he said with a nod. When Mephilia had told him about her sixth sense, he believed her and she was glad he did.

"Lately, I've been pondering about how I can feel the presence of other worlds. I know for some of them, the other versions of me slowly lost her insanity after Suleiman's death."

Frowning, Barbarossa said, "I take it in those other worlds, your sis wasn't supportive of you seeing Suleiman?"

"I assume that's to be case, yes." A small smile pulled onto Mephilia's lips. "I owe you my gratitude for convincing Einheria to take me on this journey and letting me see Suleiman."

Barbarossa let out a hearty laugh. "Not a problem, arr. It's the least I could do for the both of ya."

Later that night, Suleiman and his crew, also turned into ghosts, appeared and she and Barbarossa talked with them in the ship's dining room while one of Barbarossa's zombies took control of the ship. They often conversed about what they had been up to during those three years. This familiar routine with everyone was easy for Mephilia to slip back into.

"After Julius couldn't finish another drink and wasn't feeling well, Aaren had to pay me one hundred pg!" Shelby said, a proud smile on his face. Aaren glared at him.

"Hey, I didn't think Julius would be taken down that easily. He usually holds his liquor well."

"Rum isn't my favorite to be honest," Julius said. "I prefer cider if possible."

Both she and Barbarossa laughed when Aaren sighed loudly. Suleiman, meanwhile, just smiled in amusement. Something about his expression, though, made Mephilia think something was on his mind and she was right on that instinct when he spoke.

"Aaren, Julius, Shelby, may I speak privately with Mephilia and Hayreddin for a moment?" The three men nodded in understanding before they let themselves disappear. When they were alone, he said to the two, "I haven't gotten the proper chance to say I truly appreciate what the both of you are doing for me."

"We're more than happy to finish this for you!" Barbarossa said while beaming and Mephilia nodded in agreement.

"That's good to hear." As he continued to talk, his smile faded. "I know you already forgave me, Mephilia, but I feel guilty for making you wait for me all these years. Even as a ghost, I still love you."

Mephilia's heart raced. It had been a long wait for her, yes. She could have given up her faith in him a while ago, but she didn't. Even when she was in Florem, she still believed they would be together again someday and here they are face to face right now.

"My feelings for you haven't changed, either," Mephilia said, her lips slowly tugging into a smile. "Every night I wonder if you're okay, and now I know that you are." Behind her, she could hear Barbarossa sniffled and she glanced over her shoulder to see him wiping his eyes with his handkerchief.

"I'm sorry, just you two like this has me all teary-eyed."

Suleiman laughed and said, "You're still a very sentimental man there, Hayreddin."

Amused by Barbarossa's reaction herself, Mephilia giggled. She was thankful of him being very supportive of her relationship with Suleiman.

xxx

Back when Mephilia traveled with Sueliman a few years ago, she kept a small journal to write down the location of the summons and her progress on finding them. Tonight was the first time in a long while she added some new entries in, mainly Susano-o's location and this new voyage. As she was writing, Mephilia sat on the bed with the book on her lap and had herself close to the oil lamp that was on the drawer.

"I see you still have that journal of yours," someone suddenly said and that startled Mephilia. She turned around to see Suleiman already sitting next to her on the bed and giving her a half-smile.

"I originally wasn't going to use it again until I found it while packing for this voyage." She stopped a moment to close the journal and set it aside on the drawer. "Reading them back, I can't believe we found most of the summons together in a year."

Suleiman chuckled. "Ambitious of us, but very worth it as we got to know each other better." His mouth then slipped into a frown. "I apologize for changing the subject here, but will you go back to the duchy?"

Upon hearing that, Mephilia's heart dropped. She jumped off from the bed, her back facing Suleiman.

"Is there a particular reason why you asked that?" Mephilia said as she looked back at Suleiman, hoping that didn't come off too strong. She was just curious.

"From what you had told me, you haven't been happy with your time with them. If that's the case, perhaps it's better you set off your own path."

Mephilia pondered over what Suleiman had said. It was true she didn't like her role in Florem and that was why she wanted to get away for a while. During her time in the Bloodrose Legion, she questioned some of the duchy's actions and she could tell even Einheria wasn't sure herself. Leaving the duchy permanently sounded like a better idea. That meant leaving her sisters behind, but they would understand her decision.

"You're right, Suleiman. Being with the duchy has done nothing but cause me grief. Once I obtained Susano-o, I'm not turning back."

Seeing Suleiman's satisfied smile reassured her she made the right choice.

xxx

"You got us lost _again_?" Mephilia glared at Barbarossa, her hands on her hips.

"Probably we wouldn't have been in this mess if Barbarossa didn't use zombies as his crew," Aaren said. pointing at two zombies who stared blankly in their direction.

Some more months had passed since she and Barbarossa started their sea voyage and so far it seemed they weren't getting close to finding Susano-o. They probably would have gotten that summon by now if he didn't bring those zombies. This was ridiculous.

"I'll admit having them take control of the Funky Francisca isn't one of my brightest ideas," Barbarossa said, rubbing the back of his head in embarrassment, "but I do think we're not far from the Sea of Corsairs."

"This is the third time you told us that," Shelby said, just as annoyed as Mephilia and Aaren.

"Now everyone, getting mad at him isn't going to get us anywhere," Suleiman said. "I'm sure all of us will figure this out."

Knew he was right, Mephilia hung her head down and apologized for her behavior. She was still frustrated they were wasting time being lost, but the pirate didn't do that on purpose. Suleiman's crew also expressed remorse for their reactions earlier.

"Nah, you guys have the right to be mad at me," Barbarossa said, his voice losing his easy going self. "I was supposed to be the one to take us to Susano-o but I haven't accomplished that."

"To be fair, the Sea of Corsairs isn't easy waters to get through," Julius said. "I heard there are frozen parts not many managed to make it out alive."

"So what should we do now?" Shelby asked.

"My mind's hazy since I died before I was able to go further through the frozen areas, but I think we should head west."

"Aye, if you say so, Captain!" Barbarossa gave a salute to Suleiman and continued steering the wheel. As he began humming a song, two of his zombies joined him also. The first time Barbarossa sang with them caught Mephilia off guard, but she got used to that now.

Already exhausted for the night, Mephilia slumped down on the deck's wooden floor. Suleiman joined her.

"I'm aware you're tired from all this, but I promise you we'll find Susano-o."

"I know." If he wasn't a ghost, Mephilia would immediately kiss his cheek. "After four years, my patience is running very low." A horrified expression stuck Suleiman's face. Realizing what she just said, she corrected, "Oh, I didn't mean all of this was your fault-"

"No, you're right that you waited long enough for this," Suleiman interrupted and dragged out a sigh.

"We discussed this before, I'm happy that I get to see you again." Without thinking, she slid her hand onto Suleiman's. Somehow she still felt his skin, warm just as she remembered, even though he was a ghost. She missed the times when their hands touched. They stayed like this for a while.

xxx

A few weeks after, the group managed to go through the sea's frozen parts and spot an island close by. Able to find a place to dock, they thought it was worth searching. Once she and Barbarossa hopped off the ship, Mephilia turned around and noticed Suleiman didn't follow them.

"Suleiman, aren't you coming with us?" she asked with a raised eyebrow.

"I wish I could, but unfortunately my crew and I are bound to this ship as ghosts. Believe me, I've tried."

Mephilia frowned upon hearing that, disappointed that was the case. As she glanced at Barbarossa's forced grin, she could tell he felt the same way.

"Well, no need to worry as we'll be able to get Susano-o for sure. We won't be long!"

The two took a few steps forward, but they stopped when Suleiman called out to them.

"Wait! Before the both of you go, I have a request for you, Hayreddin."

Mephilia turned her head slightly to see Barbarossa's baffled look. She too was curious what Suleiman wanted him to do.

"Anything, my friend!" he said, his expression changed to a more upbeat one.

"Once you and Mephilia find the anchorite, I want you to take my place by helping her out in withstanding the summon's assault."

Mephilia gasped while Barbarossa's jaws dropped. That certainly surprised her.

"Are you okay with this?" the pirate asked when he gazed at Mephilia.

Her heart racing, Mephilia began pondering over that. Barbarossa had been with her throughout this voyage and a good friend. She knew Suleiman wanted her to survive against this last summon and believed his friend was the perfect person to be by her side while he couldn't. When she made her decision, she nodded.

"I'm more than fine with that arrangement," Mephilia said and made an approved smile.

After the two said goodbye to Suleiman, they moved further inside the island. They met the anchorite of war deep within the woods, the bitter cold causing them to shake even though they wore some warm clothing.Barbarossa asked him if it was all right he joined with Mephilia while he casts Susano-o so he could protect her. The anchorite hesitated at first, but then he reluctantly agreed on the condition only Mephilia has control of the summon.

Susano-o was indeed the toughest summon Mephilia had faced, and she was glad Suleiman suggested Barbarossa join her. The warrior swung its powerful sword at them, and the two friends braced for Susano-o's assault. They immediately crashed down on the snowy ground and had the wind knocked out of them. Mephilia slowly sat up and winced, feeling several deep cuts all over her body. She waited until Barbarossa sat up too and groaned in pain, having similar wounds on his skin. They faced each other and burst into laughter together-Susano-o was finally hers.

When she and Barbarossa returned back to the ship, they let Suleiman and his men know they got Susano-o and everyone congratulated them. Because of how Susano-o's attack took a toll on them, they decided to rest for the night and leave the next day. Everyone gathered in the dining room.

"Now that you have the last summon, you'll be focusing on invocation now?" Julius asked.

Mephilia nodded. "I want to rest for a while first before I try that ability. After that…I'm not sure what I'll do next except that I won't return to the duchy." Frowning, Mephilia hadn't figured out what she wanted to do in the long run. All her life she had been praised for her talent as a summoner, but wasn't sure why she was here existing in the first place. Did she do anything worthwhile? Being in the duchy wasn't working for her anymore.

"How about teaching others how to do summons?" Suleiman suggested. "You talked about considering that while we visited Anchiem."

"I did, yes." Mephilia's eyes turned away slightly from Suleiman while she rubbed her arm with one hand. "While staying in Florem, though, I lost interest in wanting to do that."

"To me it seems you're still passionate about summons, so do leave that teaching path open." She looked back to see her beloved giving her a supportive smile. "Even if you don't become a teacher, I'm certain you'll find your purpose soon."

"Suleiman's right, you're a smart woman who will find something to do," Shelby said, grinning. The rest of Suleiman's crew and Barbarossa also gave their words of encouragement.

Mephilia won't deny she loved summoning a lot and that was why she still wanted to get Susano-o after all these years. Perhaps that passion in teaching would come back to her one day-something to keep it in mind, at least.

"Your constant supportiveness is always why I'm fortunate to have all of you by my side," she said, offering them a grateful smile.

The next day when it was just about time to leave, Barbarossa asked her if she would like to return back to Florem. When she had said no, he cocked an eyebrow at her.

"Are you sure, yar? Your sis will be wondering where you are."

"I already said I'm not going back to the duchy last night. I do want to see my dear sister and she deserves to know my decision, but not at this moment. I'm not proud of some of the actions I did in Florem."

Barbarossa let out an understanding _arrgh_ sound. "If you won't come back to Florem now, where you want to go, then?"

Mephilia took a moment to think that. She wanted to go someplace temporarily to gather her thoughts. Eternia was out of the question because of the grand marshal and his council residing there. Other places like Anchiem, Caldesia, and the Eisenberg region have other Eternian forces posted and she didn't want to deal with them. Yulyana Woods was very quiet, and perhaps she could also talk with her former teacher, who was most likely still residing there.

Master Yulyana, the old man responsible for her start as a summoner. Before she used to write letters to him on how she was doing, but stopped when she was assigned to go to Florem. He probably wondered if something had happened to her, so it wouldn't be a bad idea to let him know she had gotten Susano-o at least.

"Can you take me to Yulyana Woods?" she asked Barbarossa. He responded by quirking his eyebrow.

"You mean the place where you first passed your summoning test?"

"Yes. I owe Master Yulyana a long overdue visit."

With a grin, Barbarossa said he would gladly take her there and steered the ship on their trip towards Yulyana Woods.

xxx

When she and Barbarossa made it to Yulyana Woods, not only they were greeted by the conjurer himself but also Edea and her friends. Like Yulyana, she could tell the four weren't from this world but nonetheless she agreed to join with her master and Barbarossa and have a friendly battle against the warriors of light. It didn't surprise her they too have Susano-o in their possession, but she was able to withstand its attacks much better thanks to Yulyana and Barbarossa by her side. Eventually Edea's group won, but Mephilia smiled, taking the loss with grace, and having a lot of fun in the process.

"Edea, you and your friends from another world, am I right?" she asked after the battle was over. Edea didn't seem fazed by that question.

"Yes. In a different world we visited, another Mephilia said the same thing."

Mephilia closed her eyes and hummed in understanding. She was reminded back to when she had told Suleiman she was able to see through other worlds and he told her he was fine where they were. Seeing the group still in front of her, Mephilia brought her attention back to them. Even though she wondered what their exact reason for coming here was, she decided against asking.

"Whatever your purpose in this world is, I wish you luck on that," she said in encouragement.

After that, Mephilia told Yulyana about her plans leaving the duchy and excused herself as she had someplace on her mind. She teleported to the Funky Francisca to have some time to think. Mephilia was on the deck to gaze at the stars that lit brightly like fireflies. Watching them always relaxed her.

"I remember when you traveled with me we always looked at the night sky together."

Startled by the voice, she twisted around to see Suleiman's ghost form behind her. He wore a soft expression on his face.

"And our arms around one another." She let out a happy sigh. "I never tired stargazing with you."

Suleiman chuckled. "During my journey to find your summon, I always thought how lucky I was to have fallen in love with you."

Mephilia's lips curled into a small smile. "I feel the same way, and today I still do."

"I'm delighted to hear that." After he said that, his face slipped into a frown. "My dearest Mephilia, I don't have much time left here."

"Wait, does that mean…" Her eyes wide in shock, Mephilia already was certain as to why he announced that, but she didn't want to finish saying it.

"Since you have Susano-o in your hands now, my crew and I can finally rest in peace."

In that instant, Mephilia felt as if someone pulled the previous dagger out of her heart. It had been only a few months since they were reunited. Some part of her knew this was going to happen, but she had buried that possibility deep inside her mind.

"You can't go yet!" she yelled, tears streaming from her eyes. Mephilia clenched her fist. "And just when we're starting to be happy around each other once more."

A harsh silence came between the two, Suleiman hanging his head down in shame. Mephilia reminded herself this wasn't his fault he needed to disappear soon,so she let out a shaky sigh and her shoulders dropped.

"I apologize for my reaction, that was very selfish of me." She watched as he gazed back at her and responded with a sad smile on his face.

"Wait a moment, we want to say our goodbyes to her, too!" someone else suddenly said, causing Mephilia to swing around. Behind them were Suleiman's crew greeting them with smiles. Julius was the one that spoke seconds ago.

"You don't think we'll leave without saying a word, do you?" Aaren said, an amused smile stretching across his face.

Mephilia shook her head, allowing herself to grin back at them. "I appreciate you three coming here to say farewell to me."

Julius was the first one to embrace her tightly and he lifted her up, causing Mephilia to gasp in surprise.

"Such a shame you and Suleiman didn't get married as you would've been a wonderful wife," he said when he put her back down. Mephilia's cheeks blushed. She glanced at Suleiman to see him rub the side of his neck and a funny smile on his face. They were supposed to get married once he returned with Susano-o.

Aaren was next to hug her. His wasn't as strong as Julius's, but it was still just as heartfelt. He told her it was great seeing her again and she felt the same way.

"Be sure you won't forget about us!" Shelby said when it was his turn. Mephilia replied that she won't, and the two embraced.

Mephilia waited until the three men disappeared. This was similar to when they said their goodbyes to her in Eternia's port, except this time she knew they won't be returning back. When she heard some creaking noises from the ship, Mephilia turned around to see Barbarossa coming up to the deck.

"Arrgh, I thought I would find you with Suleiman here, Mephilia." Noticing Mephilia's puffy eyes and her tear streaked face, he asked, "Are you alright?"

"I just told her I was to leave from this world since she has control of Susano-o now," Suleiman replied for her.

"While I expected this to happen, I'm sad to see you go," Barbarossa said, frowning.

His voice full of remorse, Suleiman said, "I'm truly sorry I can't stay here longer."

Barbarossa gave him a good-natured grin. "No need to worry, you deserve to have your soul be released."

"So this is goodbye, then?" Mephilia said, her eyes half-closed.

"I'm afraid so." A caring smile pulled on the corner of Suleiman's mouth. "I was fortunate enough to see the both you one last time and this is more than I can ask for."

For his goodbyes, he first stood in front of Barbarossa to stretch out his hand to him and the two men shook hands. As Mephila's sniffles returned, Suleiman touched her cheek with his hand and his lips pressed against her forehead. His kisses were also what she missed about their relationship. The two then embraced, Mephilia feeling his ghostly body soft against hers.

In a low voice, he said behind her ear, "Once I'm no longer here, I want you to smile for me."

It was an odd request, but she understood that he wanted to assure her he would be fine and for her to be happy even when he was gone. Mephilia wiped the tears from her eyes and nodded.

"Of course, my love," she whispered. Suleiman was the first one to let go of their hug.

"Farewell, Hayreddin, farewell sweet Mephilia," he said while waving to them. She and Barbarossa waved goodbye back and they watched as Suleiman fully vanished. When they were alone, Mephilia felt the pirate's strong hand patting her shoulder.

"I think we did the right thing in letting him go," Barbarossa said.

Losing Suleiman again still hurt, but Mephilia was glad he and his crew were able to have their souls rest in peace. She gazed at the night sky, smiling like he had wanted her to.

"Yes, yes we have."


End file.
